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Van Buren Police Arrest Man In Gun Incident

A local man was arrested after he pulled a gun on another man and asked a Van Buren officer to shoot him late Sunday night, according to police.

Blake Wright, 25, was arrested on suspicion of two counts of aggravated assault on a family member, three counts of felony terroristic threatening and public intoxication after police were dispatched to the area of North 13th Street by Van Buren City Park in reference to a fight in progress, according to a news release issued by detective Jonathan Wear of the Van Buren Police Department.

“The caller stated that one of the subjects had a gun and was going to kill his girlfriend and then himself,” Wear stated in the news release.

When the first officer arrived on the scene, he found two men fighting in a driveway in the 1000 block of North 13th Street. The officer approached and the man later identified as Wright, who was being held down by the other man, asked the officer to shoot him, according to the news release.

After the officer placed Wright under arrest, a 40 caliber Glock handgun was found on the scene with a loaded magazine, the news release states.

“Inside Wright’s truck, there was another loaded magazine and three knives recovered,” Wear stated.

A witness, described as the man with whom Wright was found struggling, told police that he was outside smoking when he saw Wright driving recklessly down 13th Street. He said Wright pulled up, got out of the pickup and pulled a handgun of his waistband, the news release states.

“Wright was approached by the witness who was able to get the gun away from him,” Wear stated. “The witness then held Wright down until officers arrived and placed him under arrest.”

Police later learned that the residence outside of which the incident occurred is that of Wright’s estranged girlfriend. Wright’s girlfriend said Wright had called her one hour prior to arriving at the residence, according to the new release.